Read Adam: Braddocks, Book Two for Free Online

in these parts, they would deal with it. “With Angelica’s help.”
    Annabelle was quiet a second, then said, “You had best be moving into my place above the store then.”
    “Moving? Here?” Excitement tore through her. She’d talked about moving out from home, but was she really ready for such a big step?
    “Faith?” Annabelle pressed, watching her in concern.
    She sucked in a steadying breath. “Yes, I’ll do it.” She would not let her friend down.
    Angelica laughed and drew their attention. Still grinning, she said, “Adam is going to have a fit about all of this. Especially having you live right next door to him.” She chortled. “I love this!”
    Knowing that Adam would be next door should she need him was one of the reasons Faith had agreed to the move. She could depend on him, she knew it. Which was a foolish idea. She shouldn’t want to depend on the stubborn man for anything. Maybe she should reconsider letting some of the cowboys around here court her again. Or maybe she really should send off for a mail–order groom.
    No, that notion was absolutely crazy.
     
     

Chapter Three
     
     
    Faith stood on the boardwalk in front of the telegraph and stage office feeling a bit numb and dazed. She blinked back tears and watched the trail of dust behind the departing stagecoach until it disappeared from sight. It had been only a week since Annabelle had announced her intention to go visit her sister in Virginia, but the time had passed all too quickly, in Faith’s opinion. She still had so many questions about running the mercantile. Of more concern, though, was this whole business of moving out on her own. She’d barely eaten all week, barely slept. Such a big change and she wasn’t sure she could actually do it.
    “She’ll be missed,” Angelica said, her voice hinting of sadness. “I will miss her. She was one of the few women in town who treated me with any kind of respect.”
    Faith glanced in her direction and saw Ben putting his arm around Angelica’s shoulders. He had such a tender look in his eyes. Not for the first time, Faith wondered what kept the two of them from getting married. They obviously had strong feelings for one another, were always there when the other needed support of some kind. She wanted that special bond with someone, too. For a while she had thought maybe she’d found the man who could love her, whom she could love. But she’d only had a young girl’s foolish dream.
    She shoved the disheartening thought aside and forced a smile for her friend. Angelica had started helping out at the store last week and more than one woman who’d come in had snubbed her. Annabelle didn’t put up with such shenanigans. She’d told the ladies flat out that they could change their attitude or shop elsewhere. Of course there wasn’t anywhere else to shop unless they drove all the way into Dodge City. Eventually most of the town’s ladies had reluctantly accepted Angelica’s presence in the mercantile. Good thing, too, because Faith wouldn’t put up with such nonsense either.
    She straightened her shoulders and put a hand to her stomach to still the nerves fluttering there. “Time is a wasting. I need to go start hauling my satchels to the mercantile.”
    As she turned toward her parents’ house, she thought about the tumultuous last week. Moving into the small apartment above the mercantile had proven to be a bigger complication than Faith had anticipated. Her father, as expected, had bellowed in outrage the instant she’d finally told him her plan. I won’t allow it! I swear I’ll lock you in your room until I find you a husband. You are not going to live alone. It’s not proper. He’d said similar words every time she’d been near him since that fateful day. She did not look forward to going there now to get her clothes.
    “Hang on, Faith,” Ben called after her. “I brought my wagon to help haul your belongings.”
    She turned back to him with a wobbly smile. “I